Revenge, Part 2
by natefan
Summary: A sequel to Revenge, an SMK/RS crossover. I have made MAJOR changes to all chapters, and uploaded a new chapter. More is on the way!
1. Arrangements are made...

Title: Revenge, Part Two  
  
Author: mandystetson  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Scarecrow and Mrs. King nor Remington Steele. I am simply borrowing them for my story. Some references in the story (example: Marvelous Marvin's) are taken from episodes of Scarecrow and Mrs. King.  
  
Rating: PG (probably more like G)  
  
Time Frame: June 1988  
  
Author's Notes: This story is strictly AU. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
"I'll see you then. Goodbye," Remington Steele said, hanging up the telephone. "Pack your bags, Miss Holt. We're going to Washington."  
  
"What?" Laura Holt demanded. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"The Royal Lavulite gems are on a traveling display in Washington, DC at the Watergate Hotel next week. We've just been hired to protect them," he informed her.  
  
"When are we leaving?" she asked, pouring a cup of coffee.  
  
"Tomorrow at noon is when we pick up the gems. Then we take next flight to DC," he answered.  
  
"That's it? We just pick up the gems and leave?"  
  
"Well, there will be other people there. It's not like we're stealing them and running off with them. We're just going along to make sure they don't end up stolen."  
  
"Alright," she said. "I think I understand you now."  
  
"Good," he said in approval. "If you'll excuse me, I'm leaving for lunch now. Toodles." He got up from the desk, and walked out the door of the office.  
  
Laura stood there in half confusion, and took a sip of her coffee. She sat down at the desk, trying to recollect her thoughts. Suddenly, she remembered a client of theirs' the previous November, Amanda Stetson. She pulled the middle desk drawer open, and took out a book which  
  
contained their past clients phone numbers and addresses. She found the Stetson's number, and decided to call, just to let them know that they would be in DC. She dialed the number.  
  
"Hello?" a female voice answered.  
  
"Yes, may I speak to Amanda?" Laura asked.  
  
"Sure," the voice said. Laura figured that it was Amanda's mother.  
  
After a few moments, Amanda picked up the line. "Hello?"  
  
"Mrs. Stetson? This is Laura Holt," she said, hoping that she would remember  
  
her.  
  
"Oh, hello Miss Holt," Amanda said, wondering why she had called. "It's nice to speak to you."  
  
"Yes. You too. I was just calling to tell you that Mista Steele and I were going to be in DC for a while. I thought that we might could do lunch or something."  
  
"That would be great. When are you going to be in Washington?"  
  
"We're leaving tomorrow on a case. I'm not sure how long we're going to be there, either. You see, I haven't been filled in on all the details," she said.  
  
"Have you already made your hotel reservations. Because if you haven't, then you could stay  
  
here with us. The boys are going to Disney World with my ex-husband and his wife in about...an hour. And my mother is going to stay with her sister. It wouldn't be any trouble," she offered. "We'd love to have you here."  
  
"We wouldn't want to impose or..."  
  
"You wouldn't be imposing. We'd really enjoy your company. Plus, you could save money on hotel expenses," she said. "But first of all, have you made reservations?"  
  
"Not that I know of. You're sure you wouldn't..."  
  
"We wouldn't mind. And I'm sure Lee would enjoy another man around the house, anyways," she said. "So will you accept?"  
  
"I guess I'll have to. But this is very kind of you, Mrs. Stetson," Laura said.  
  
"Please, call me Amanda. And it's no trouble. Trust me," Amanda told her. "We could pick you up at the airport."  
  
"Well, Amanda, thank you so much. Maybe we could meet somewhere instead. I'm still not sure what we'll have to do when we arrive. We could plan to meet at dinner somewhere, though.  
  
We'll buy your dinner. Where would you like to meet?"  
  
The two women went on to decide to meet at Marvelous Marvin's, which was Amanda's request since she was over seven months pregnant. Laura would tell Remington about their plans when he returned from his lunch. After she had already hung up, she wondered if Mildred was also going with them. She would sometimes accompany them on their out of state cases. Laura thought she'd check into it later. Presently, she thought she should go pack her bags as Mr. Steele had told her.  
  
*********SMK******RS******SMK******RS******SMK*******************  
  
"So you just barged in and invaded their privacy?!?" Remington asked angrily.  
  
"She invited us to stay with them," Laura replied, putting the last suitcase in the back of Mildred's stationwagon. "I didn't 'invade their privacy' whatsoever."  
  
"Well you accepted, didn't you?" he retorted. "Wouldn't you call that invading their privacy?!?"  
  
Laura was growing very angry with this man. She held her breath to control her anger, and breathed deeply. "Look. Let's just find something better to talk about. Here comes Mildred."  
  
Mildred had suggested that she go also, so that she could help Amanda while Remington and Laura were out on a case. Then she'd be there if they needed her help. "Ready to go, Chief?" she asked Mr. Steele.  
  
"As usual," he responded, climbing into the passenger's seat. Laura got into the backseat, with Mildred at the wheel. She cranked up, and then the conversation began.  
  
"So. These clients must be very friendly to invite two hotshot detectives like you to stay with them. I hope they won't mind my being around," Mildred said.  
  
"I'm sure they won't mind," Laura told her.  
  
******  
  
The three of them arrived at the airport, and found the people whom they were to fly to Washington with. They made sure that the gems were safe, and they waited for their flight to be called.  
  
About fifteen minutes later, they were boarding Flight 32, and before they knew it, they had landed at Dulles International Airport.  
  
*******SMK******RS******SMK******RS******SMK*********  
  
Once they were in Washington, they retrieved their luggage and the jewels, and headed to the Watergate Hotel along with the rest of their 'crew'. They made sure that the gems were safe under a glass case in the exhibition room, with security guards nearby. After they were finished checking the security of the Royal Lavulite, Remington glanced at his watch to see that it was five-fifteen pm. They had planned to meet Lee and Amanda at Marvelous Marvin's somewhere around five forty-five or six o'clock.  
  
They took a taxi cab and followed the directions that Amanda had given her to the fast food restaurant. They paid the cab driver, once they had reached their destination, and got out of the car. Remington had asked the cab driver to wait a moment until the Stetsons' got there, so that they could switch transport their luggage. They looked around for the couple, but they didn't see them anywhere.  
  
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Remington asked her, studying his surroundings.  
  
"She told me to be at the one on the corner of Third and Main," she answered, cocking her head towards the street sign. Remington glanced up at it, and nodded.  
  
"We might as well get a table," Mildred suggested.  
  
They selected a table that seated five, and sat down to wait. Finally, they saw Lee and Amanda rushing towards their table. "Mr. Steele, Miss Holt! It's great to see you!" Amanda said excitedly. "You must be Miss Krebs. I'm Amanda Stetson. Sorry we're late. We had a few things to care of."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Honey," Mildred said politely.  
  
"That's perfectly fine," Laura said. "Oh! I almost forgot! Our luggage is in the trunk of the taxi cab." Remington got up, followed by Lee, to get their luggage.  
  
"We came in the Wagoner. We figured it would be kind of hard to cram all of us into the Corvette," Amanda joked. "How are things in LA?"  
  
"Busy, as always," Laura commented.  
  
"Mr. Steele and Miss Holt told me about last November. How's your husband doing?" Mildred asked her.  
  
"He's doing much better. His sight came back in April. We were so relieved," she said. "You don't know how much you take for granted until you lose some of it."  
  
Laura nodded. "Well, we're glad to hear he's doing well. And the baby is due in...August," she said, as Amanda nodded with a smile. "That's not too far away. Girl or boy?"  
  
"Girl," she answered, smiling. "Which Jamie wasn't too glad to hear." They continued talking until the men returned to their table.  
  
"Do you want to order now?" Lee asked them.  
  
"Umm, I guess so," Laura said. "I've never been to a Marvelous Marvin's before." The four of them headed to the counter to place their orders. "I'll have a Fish Burger, without tartar sauce."  
  
  
  
END OF PART ONE 


	2. That night...

That night...  
  
It was around six forty-five pm when the Lee, Amanda, Remington, Mildred, and Laura piled into the Jeep Wagoner. The Stetsons' gave them a tour of the area around where they lived. They showed them places like the supermarket, hospital, post office, and other buildings which they might need to know the location of. At around eight-thirty, they finally headed towards the Stetson home.  
  
Lee had moved in with Amanda, Dotty, and the boys, since they had to tell them their secret. Two months earlier, Lee's sight had finally returned, and now he had fully recovered from his injury. They had also moved to another house, since they were outgrowing 4247 Maplewood Avenue. They now lived in a five bedroom house in Arlington.  
  
Presently, Lee turned into their driveway. They unloaded their things from the vehicle, as Amanda unlocked the door. The others went inside, and she showed them where to put their luggage. Afterwards, everyone retreated to the kitchen for some of Dotty's homemade apple pie.  
  
"Your mother is a wonderful cook," Mildred told Amanda.  
  
"Yes, this is delicious," Remington said, after taking the first bite of the pie. "Changing the subject, but have either of you heard anything from that Smyth person?"  
  
"Dr. Smyth?" Amanda questioned, as he nodded. "No, we haven't. Not since he was arrested."  
  
"That's good," Laura said, taking another bite of the dessert.  
  
"Have..." Lee started, then the telephone rang. "I'll get it." He got up from the table and answered the phone. "Hello? Oh, hi Mrs. W...Dotty. Are you.. Oh. Okay. I'll tell her. No, no. Alright. I'll see you later. Bye." He hung up their phone, and walked back to the table."That was Mrs. West. Amanda, your Aunt Lillian wanted for me to tell you that your cousin got a new job."  
  
"Really? Good for him," she said, happy for her cousin. She then happened to glance at the clock on the wall, which read 9:30. "It's nine-thirty. I didn't realize that it was that late."  
  
"Since we are in DC on a case, we might want to get some sleep. A good detective always needs their rest," Laura said.  
  
"Miss Holt's right," Remington agreed. "I'll turn in in a little while. Although, David said he'd let us know if he needed us at the exhibition hall for anything." He got up and put his dirty dishes in the sink.  
  
"Has Amanda shown you your rooms yet?" Lee asked them. "Actually, you have several rooms to choose from."  
  
"When you're finished we can show you the bedrooms that are 'vacant', so to speak," Amanda told them. "Miss Holt..."  
  
"Please call me Laura," she told her, placing her dishes in the sink also.  
  
"Sure, Laura. Let's see. Mother's room is empty, and the guest room, and the boys' room. And then there's the nursery, which is a mess, and you wouldn't want to stay in there anyway. I don't think you'd want to stay in the boys' room, either," Amanda said, standing up from her chair.  
  
"Yeah. Their rooms look like disaster areas most of the time. Philip is a little better at keeping his things away than Jamie is, I will give him credit for that," said Lee, also getting up from his seat. He followed them to the staircase. "Mrs. West's room has a bathroom, and the guest room is next door to a bathroom. Just take your pick."  
  
"I think I'll take Mrs. West's bedroom," Laura said, setting her suitcases on the bed.  
  
"And I'll take the guest room," Mildred told them.  
  
"I'll just take the boys' room," Remington yelled from down the hall. "Splendid choice. Splendid, indeed. The boys' room has a television and a VCR."  
  
"Thanks again for letting us stay here," Mildred told the couple.  
  
"Our pleasure," Lee replied with a smile.  
  
"Yes, thank you for putting up with us," said Remington. "Plus, with the VCR I can pop in an old movie at any time."  
  
"Old movie?" Lee repeated, slightly amused.  
  
"Mista Steele here has a passion for old movies," Laura informed him.  
  
"Quite so. I use old movies to solve the most difficult of cases," he told Lee. "Well, I'm going to turn in for now. Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight," Lee, Mildred, and Laura chimed in, as Remington walked into his room and closed the door behind himself. "Where's Amanda?"  
  
"Right here," Amanda answered, coming up the stairs. "We forgot to lock the back door. Are you going to bed yet?"  
  
"I am," Mildred stated. "G'Night." She turned around and headed to the guest room.  
  
"I guess so," Laura replied. "Goodnight." She smiled, and walked into her room, also closing the door behind herself.  
  
"After you," Lee said to his wife, as they went into their bedroom, across the hallway.  
  
******SMK******RS******SMK******RS******SMK***********  
  
A gloved hand unlocked the garage door, letting himself inside. The intruder lifted up the hood of the beautiful silver sports car. Using a flashlight, the person found the brake line, and sliced it with sharp metal file. They then put down the hood as quietly as possible, and took off out of the garage, being sure to close and lock the garage door.  
  
******SMK******RS******SMK******RS******SMK***********  
  
Laura Holt bolted upright in bed. She could have sworn she had heard a car door slam below her window. She was just about to drift off to sleep when she had heard the sound. She threw back the covers, and stood up, sliding into her house shoes. She grabbed her robe and a flashlight, and quietly tip-toed out of her room to check downstairs.  
  
She put her ear to Remington's door, and heard his soft snoring. So it wasn't him that she had heard. She passed Mildred's room, and saw that the light was out. She doubted that Amanda would be up, but Lee was a possibility. She noticed that their bedroom door was open just a crack, so she carefully opened it wider to see inside without waking them. They were both snuggled together, sleeping peacefully. She still wasn't satisfied, so she turned on her flashlight, and walked down the staircase.  
  
She made her way to the dark kitchen, as shivers crept up and down her spine. The fact that someone had attempted to murder Lee Stetson in this very kitchen didn't help her feelings either. She tried to forget that memory, and continue. She walked on to the back door, where she let herself out. Earlier that evening, she had noted that she could see the boys' tree house outside her bedroom window. She found the tree house, and also saw the garage. Amanda's Jeep Wagoner was parked in the driveway outside the garage, and Laura figured that Lee's Corvette was inside. She looked around and so no one, and she walked up to the side door of the garage. She turned the doorknob which was locked. 'No one without a key could have gotten in here,' she told herself. 'The only people with a key are sound asleep. It must have just been my imagination.'  
  
Unless it was the Wagoner door she had heard. She walked to it and noticed that all of the car doors were locked. It couldn't have been the hood, because to pop the hood, you must get inside. She had an eerie feeling that she was being watched, but didn't feel like checking the nearby shrubbery to see if anyone was there. She gave up, and decided to go back to bed, although she still knew that the car door hadn't been her imagination. 


	3. The next morning...

The next day...  
  
Laura rolled over in her bed to see what time it was. The digital alarm clock read 6:03 am. She pulled back the covers, and slid into her house shoes again, also putting on her robe. She went downstairs into the kitchen to find Amanda mixing something in a bowl.  
  
"Good morning," she said. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Morning. I'm trying to make homemade pancakes, although it's not turning out so well," Amanda replied, in her usually cheerful voice. "I'm somewhat short on flour."  
  
"I could go to the supermarket and get some," she suggested, remembering the way to the supermarket from last night's tour.  
  
"I'd be glad to," Remington said from behind. "Except I don't have a car. I guess I could call a cab."  
  
"Now you just hold on," Amanda interrupted. "I can send Lee out to get some..."  
  
"He's asleep," Remington pointed out.  
  
"Well, then you can go, if you want to so badly. But you're *not* calling a cab," Amanda said, placing her mixture on the countertop. She walked over and picked up Lee's car keys. In a quieter tone, she said, "Take the 'Vette."  
  
"Ah, gladly, Mrs. Stetson. Gladly," he said, taking the keys. "How much flour do you need?"  
  
"Just get a two pound bag of all-purpose flour, please," she replied. "Thank you very much, Mr. Steele."  
  
"My pleasure. Simply returning your kindness and generosity," he said, as Laura rolled her eyes.  
  
"The Corvette is in the garage," Laura told them, as she remembered the car door that she had heard. "Maybe you should just take the Wagoner."  
  
"Very rarely do I get to drive a fancy sports car, Miss Holt," he said.  
  
"Just take the Corvette, but be extra careful. Lee is very fond of his car, and he might be a little angry if you, you know, dented it," Amanda told him.  
  
"I'll be most cautious and alert at all times," he told her, stepping towards the door. "I shall return in a moment." He stepped out the door, and closed it behind him.  
  
"You sure know..." Laura started to Amanda, as the door opened again. Mr. Steele walked back inside. "Back so soon?"  
  
"How clumsy of me. I forgot to get the key to the Jeep to move it out of the way," he said, with slight embarrassment.  
  
"I'll move the Jeep and unlock the garage. Okay?" Amanda said. Remington nodded his head in agreement as she grabbed her set of car keys and followed him out the door. Laura decided to stay and pour herself a cup of coffee. Moments later, Amanda returned to the kitchen where she found Laura opening her refrigerator, with Mildred right behind her.  
  
"Good morning, Honey," Mildred told her, with a smile.  
  
"Good morning," Amanda answered, returning her smile. She then turned to Laura. "What are you looking for?" She asked her, trying to sound polite.  
  
"Oh, Cream. To go in the coffee."  
  
"It should be on the second shelf."  
  
"Thanks," Laura said, spotting it. Just then, Lee walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, yawning along the way.  
  
"Good morning," he said to them. He noticed the bowl of pancake mix on the countertop where Amanda had left it. "What's this?"  
  
"Pancake mix," Amanda replied. "Well, almost pancake mix. We're out of flour, so Mr. Steele volunteered to go out and get some for us."  
  
"Did he call a cab?" he asked, opening the refrigerator. He didn't notice the worried expression on his wife's face.  
  
"Uh, no. I...he took your car," she said nervously.  
  
"He what?!?" he said, becoming angry. "You let him take my car?"  
  
"He promised not to dent it," Laura tried. "And besides, the supermarket is just down the street. He should be back in about five minutes."  
  
"Yeah, well he had better be. And the car had better be just like it was when he left.. or else, I'm gonna...." he trailed off. "Never mind. Let's just enjoy our breakfast, alright?"  
  
"We can't," Amanda said, cocking her head towards the pancake mix. "That's the whole reason Mr. Steele isn't here."  
  
"Maybe you should just go back to bed," Laura suggested, taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
"Why don't I just scramble up some eggs?" Mildred volunteered.  
  
********SMK******RS******SMK******RS******SMK***********  
  
Amanda, Mildred, and Laura were seated in the den on the sofa, as Lee paced the floor. "Why isn't he back by now?" he wondered aloud. It had been thirty-five minutes after Remington had left the house. He wasn't really concerned about the private investigator, he was just worried that something had happened to his beloved silver Corvette.  
  
"Maybe you should just take the Wagoner and go the supermarket yourself. You might meet him on the way," Amanda suggested, as the telephone rang. "I'll get it. Hello?"  
  
"Amanda?" a voice on the other line said. "What's going on?"  
  
"Hello, Francine," she said, recognizing the voice. "And what do you mean by 'what's going on'?"  
  
"You mean you don't know?" Francine asked. "They just found Lee's Corvette upside down in a ditch off of C-Street. I was calling to find what was going on. Lee wasn't even driving it."  
  
Amanda couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Francine, Remington Steele, Laura Holt, and their secretary Mildred Krebs are staying with us. I was out of flour this morning, and Mr. Steele went to the supermarket to get some flour, and he took the 'Vette. Oh, Francine, I feel awful about all of this. How is Mr. Steele doing?"  
  
"Well, he fortunately had his seatbelt fastened. That saved his life. He's conscious, but he has a broken arm and several scrapes and bruises. I'd say that's a miracle," she answered. "By the way, why are they at your house? Is there some crime I don't know about?"  
  
"Oh, Miss Holt, that's his assistant, she called the other day to say that they were coming to DC. I offered for them to stay with us," Amanda said. "Where is Mr. Steele?"  
  
"In Room 532, at Galilee General. From the last that I heard, he's doing wonderful to have just survived crash like that one," she told her.  
  
"What about the car?" Amanda asked quietly, dreading the reply. "You know how attached Lee is to his car."  
  
"I hate to say this, but it's ruined," she sighed. "It's crumpled like a piece of paper."  
  
"I was afraid of that. Can it be repaired?"  
  
"Do I look like a mechanic?" she said, her snobby side now showing. "I doubt it. We can have someone examine it, if you'd like."  
  
"Please, if it's not too much trouble. After all, it's my fault that all of this happened."  
  
"Don't blame yourself, Amanda. It's not your fault. Well, I'll talk to you later. Bye," she said, hanging up the line.  
  
Amanda let out a long, deep sigh, and hung up the telephone. She turned to face Lee and Laura, who were patiently waiting to hear the news. "That was Francine."  
  
"So we heard," Lee remarked.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry about all of this. They found your Corvette wrecked. Mr. Steele broke an arm and has several bruises and scrapes, according to Francine. He's in Galilee General Hospital right now," Amanda told them.  
  
"What's the diagnosis for my car?" he asked her angrily.  
  
Amanda hesitated before answering. "Francine says it's ruined. I'm sorry," she said sympathetically. "It's just all my fault. If I hadn't have let him take the car, he'd be perfectly fine right now, and so would the car."  
  
"Don't blame yourself," Mildred said, placing her hand on Amanda's shoulder.  
  
"I think we should go to the hospital now," Laura said.  
  
"Good idea," Amanda said, getting up from the sofa. 


	4. At the hospital...

At the hospital...  
  
The four adults walked past the nurses' station on to room 532 in Galilee General Hospital. They reached the door, knocked, and went inside. They found Remington lying in bed with his right arm in a sling and a bandage on his forehead; he looked pretty good for someone who had just survived a nearly fatal car crash.  
  
A slightly overweight nurse with graying blond hair was pouring him a cup of water to take with his medication. "There you go," she said with a smile. "I'll see you later!" She briskly walked out of the room.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Laura asked him, walking to his side.  
  
"I've felt better," he responded weakly.  
  
"Listen, I'm sorry..." Amanda started as Remington interrupted.  
  
"There's no need to be. Oh, and my apologies about the flour."  
  
"What happened?" Lee inquired, sitting down on the worn sofa beside the window.  
  
"Everything was fine until I reached the traffic light. When I pressed the brake pedal, nothing happened," he answered, recalling the past event. "I guess your brakes were just worn out."  
  
This made Laura think of something. The car door that she had heard the night before! "Late last night, I was having trouble sleeping, and I heard a car door slam outside my window. I went outside to check it out, and I didn't find anything. I noticed that the Jeep was locked, as well as the garage. So I figured that it was just my imagination."  
  
"Are you suggesting that someone clipped the brake line?" Mildred questioned her, becoming interested in the conversation.  
  
"Exactly. But who would have had access to the garage? What I'm asking is, who all has a key to the garage?" she asked. "Of course, whoever it was could have used a lock pick, if there was anyone at all."  
  
"Lee, Mother, and I are the only ones with a key to the garage. Unless Mother has had a copy made without telling me, although I doubt she'd do that," Amanda told her.  
  
"We'll discuss this later," Laura said.  
  
"Thank you. I have other things on my mind at the time," Remington said, trying to situate himself in the uncomfortable hospital bed. "The doctor said I can leave tomorrow."  
  
"That's good news," Amanda commented, sitting down on the sofa beside Lee. "Who brought you in here, anyway?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure at the moment," he replied. "Oh, and Mr. Stetson, I'm terribly sorry about the car. Some blonde haired lady, Francis I think was her name, said that they had sent the car to be examined by a mechanic."  
  
"Francine?" Lee corrected him. "Did she mention who the mechanic was?"  
  
"That she did. Someone by the name of...Swann, I think it was."  
  
"Augie?!?" Lee asked, hardly believing his ears. "Why Augie?!? Excuse me, I need to make a phone call." He got up and walked to a pay phone. He dialed the agency and got Francine on the line. "Who's idea was it to send the 'vette to Augie Swann?"  
  
"I was afraid you might disagree with that idea," she sighed in an annoyed tone. "Why don't you go over there and see what he's come up with? Oh, and listen, I'm really sorry about the 'vette. But then again, I'm surprised you loaned it to someone anyway."  
  
"It wasn't my idea. I was asleep when that happened," he said into the receiver.  
  
"That explains it. Nice chatting with you, but I need to go," she said. "I'll talk to you later, and keep me posted, okay?"  
  
"As you wish," he said, placing the phone back onto the hook. Of all mechanics, why Augie Swann? He muttered to himself. He walked back to the room where the others were waiting. "I'm going to go see what Augie says about the 'vette."  
  
"Okay," Laura said. "Ask about the brake line."  
  
"Will do," he said. "I'll be back in a little while." He took the keys to the Wagoner and left the room.  
  
********SMK********RS*********SMK*********RS**********SMK**************  
  
  
  
"Well, with the car being all smashed up and everything, it was hard to get a good look at her," Augie Swann said, wiping his hands with a dirty cloth. "But the brake line was definitely clipped. I could at least tell that much."  
  
"I don't guess there's any way to repair it, is there?" Lee wanted to know. The sight of his scrunched up Corvette made him sick at his stomach.  
  
"Maybe for a reasonable amount of money."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Oh, in the ten thousand range."  
  
"Ten thousand?!? What are you..." Lee began angrily. "Never mind, just forget it. See you later."  
  
"Aw, Lee, don't do this to me!" Augie whined as Lee walked back to the Wagoner. "I might could come down a couple of hundred dollars!" He yelled as Lee climbed in, cranked it up, and drove away.  
  
********SMK********RS*********SMK*********RS**********SMK**************  
  
Back at the hospital, the three people were again discussing the car door that Laura had heard last night. "I seriously think that the brake line was clipped," Laura said, as Lee walked in the doorway.  
  
"What did you come up with?" Amanda asked him, rising from her seat  
  
"Augie says that someone definitely clipped the brake line," he told them, sitting down on the sofa. "And if I want the 'vette repaired, it's gonna cost me 'somewhere in the ten thousand dollar range'."  
  
"So it wasn't my imagination last night," Laura said, getting into her thinking mode. "Someone deliberately clipped the brake line to the 'vette last night."  
  
"Ten thousand dollars?!?" Amanda still couldn't believe her ears. She sat down on the sofa once more.  
  
"Don't worry, Amanda. I'm not even thinking about it," he said, placing his hand on hers. Suddenly, the phone rang.  
  
"Steele here," Remington answered with his good arm holding the phone. "No. I happen to be unavailable at the moment. Maybe my associate, Miss Holt, could help. Very well then. Goodbye."  
  
"Who was that?" Laura inquired.  
  
"Todd from the hotel. He said that he needed me at the exhibition hall. I requested that you come instead," he said, placing the phone on the hook.  
  
"Did he say if anything was wrong?" Mildred asked, standing up from the small sofa.  
  
"No," he replied. He looked at Laura. "But I would suggest that you go over there immediately."  
  
"I'll give you a ride," Amanda volunteered, also standing up from her seat.  
  
"I'll go with you," Mildred said, following them out the door. They said goodbye, and the three women headed to the hotel.  
  
"Oh, Mr. Steele," Lee said, walking to Mr. Steele's side. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag from Blockbuster Video Rental. "I picked these up for you on the way back. I thought they might help pass the time."  
  
"Ah, thank you," he said with a smile. He opened the bag and took out Gone With the Wind and Casablanca. "Thank you very much indeed. This one will especially help pass the time." He held up Gone With the Wind. "How can I ever repay you?" he asked dramatically.  
  
Replace the 'vette, Lee thought to himself. "The pleasure is all mine," he told him with a smile.  
  
"Thanks again. Mind if we pop one in?"  
  
"No, no, of course not. Which one?"  
  
"Let's see...I haven't seen Gone With The Wind in a long time," he informed him.  
  
"Then Gone With The Wind it is," answered Lee, removing the first video cassette from its case. He pushed it into the VCR, and started the movie. He walked back to the sofa, and 'enjoyed the show'. 


	5. Back at home...

Back at the house....  
  
Lee, Amanda, Mildred, Remington, and Laura walked through the front door of the Stetsons' home. Remington was very glad to be out of the hospital, and relieved that crutches or a wheelchair weren't necessary. Laura made him take his medicine that Dr. Barnes had prescribed for him, once they got inside the door. She also insisted that he rest for a while, although he disagreed completely.  
  
While he was resting in the guest room, Laura had gone to the Watergate Hotel to see how things were going. Amanda was in the kitchen searching inside the refrigerator for a jar of pickles, as Lee walked in the room to join her.  
  
"Amanda," he began, pouring himself a glass of lemonade. "I've been thinking about something."  
  
"And what's that," she said, still looking for the pickle jar.  
  
"Well, with the baby on the way and everything, I thought we might could go out for dinner together, like old times. Some place nice, just us," he told her, taking a sip of his beverage. She finally popped her head out of the refrigerator.  
  
"Lee, look at me. Wouldn't it look a little out of place for a pregnant woman to go out for dinner at a fancy restaurant?" she asked, successfully taking the pickle jar out of the refrigerator. "I'll have to decline your offer."  
  
"A-man-da," he said. He knew that she'd probably be this way when he mentioned this. "You can't decline my offer. If I want to go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant with my wife, then nothing's gonna stop me."  
  
"Something is too gonna stop you. Me," she disagreed, pulling off the lid of the jar.  
  
"A-man-..." he started again, as Mr. Steele walked into the room. "Mr. Steele, will you please convince her that she has to go out to dinner with me?"  
  
"Mrs. Stetson, you heard him. He wants you to go out to dinner with him," he told her, noticing the pickle jar.  
  
She sighed, and stared at the jar of pickles. "Alright. I'll go. But you're gonna...."  
  
"Thank you," Lee said, kissing her quickly on the mouth. "I'm going to make reservations for tonight right now." He walked to the phone and dialed the number of the restaurant.  
  
"What am I going to wear?" she mumbled quietly.  
  
"An evening gown," Remington answered, rubbing his broken arm.  
  
"A maternity evening gown, which I don't have," she replied, stabbing a pickle with her fork.  
  
"I'll go with you to buy one," Mildred suggested, stepping in on the conversation.  
  
"Oh, would you?" Amanda asked her, screwing the lid back onto the jar. "That would be awfully nice of you, Miss Krebs."  
  
"And I'm sure that whenever Miss Holt returns, she'd be happy to go also," he told her.  
  
"Yes, I most certainly would," Laura said, entering the room. "The door was open, so I let myself inside."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Of course. When do we leave?" she asked, glancing at her watch. "It's three thirty, now."  
  
"Just let me put these pickles in the fridge, and I'll change clothes," she told her. "Then we can leave."  
  
"That's great," Mildred answered. "I'll go get my things."  
  
Laura then remembered that she had mentally planned to check the garage to see if anything was out of place. "Oh, while you're getting ready, would you mind if I had a look around your garage?"  
  
"Go ahead," she replied, grabbing a set of keys off of the countertop. "This one is the key to the garage door." She showed her the right key, and went upstairs to change clothes.  
  
Laura walked out to the garage, leaving Lee and Remington in the kitchen. When she reached the door, the unlocked it, and went inside. She flicked on a light switch once she had found it, and took a good look around. She looked for some kind of proof that an intruder had been there, but she found nothing. She figured that Amanda and Mildred were probably ready to go, so she turned out the light, locked the door again, and walked back to the kitchen where Amanda and Mildred were waiting.  
  
"I searched the entire garage, and found absolutely nothing uncommon or out of place," Laura told her. "I'll have Mista Steele check later. Are you ready to go?"  
  
"You betcha," Mildred replied.  
  
"I'm ready if you are," she said, taking back her set of keys. The women headed out the door and got into the Wagoner.  
  
**********  
  
Amanda sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was pulled up neatly, and her diamond earrings accented her white chiffon gown. 'Well Amanda, you look pretty good to be wearing a maternity evening gown.' she thought to herself as she took one last look before leaving the bathroom. Laura and Mildred had helped her select her outfit for Lee and Amanda's dinner that evening, and they had done a very good job.  
  
Amanda opened the bathroom door to find Lee staring at her in delight. "You look beautiful," he told her, handing her the matching pocketbook.  
  
"And you very handsome," she said, placing her hand in his. Together, they walked down the stairs and into the den. Just then, a car horn was sounded in the front yard.  
  
"That would be our ride," Lee said, showing Amanda to the foyer.  
  
"Our ride?" Amanda questioned him.  
  
"That's what I said," he responded, opening the door and leading her outside.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed when she saw the black limousine in the driveway. "When did..."  
  
"Well, we couldn't exactly take the Corvette, so I rented this," he informed her, opening the car door to let her inside.  
  
"You didn't have to rent a limo, and a driver," she said quietly when they were both inside the car. He shut the door, and the limo driver turned around to face them.  
  
"He didn't rent a driver; I volunteered," Remington said from the driver's seat.  
  
"Mr. Steele?!? You're supposed to be resting!" she said, as he cranked up the car and sped off down the street.  
  
"I was supposed to be resting. Don't worry; I'm a careful driver," he told them, now viewing the road.  
  
'That's what you said the last time', Lee thought to himself. "I'm sure you are."  
  
"Oh, I didn't get the chance to ask you earlier, but where are we going?" she asked her husband.  
  
"L'Ornate," he replied. "I've made reservations for Stetson, party of 2, non-smoking, scheduled to arrive at seven thirty pm."  
  
"I still don't understand why you're doing all this," she said, looking out her window.  
  
"Because I love you. Why? Did you think that I was trying to butter you up or something?"  
  
"Oh, no. I was just wondering."  
  
*********  
  
"Here we are," Remington said, pulling to a stop in the parking lot. He got out and opened the door for Amanda, and then Lee got out. The couple walked to the door and went inside. They reached the maitre'd' , and they told them that they had made a reservation.  
  
"Right this way, please," he said, showing them to their table. 


	6. Just a quiet, romantic dinner...

Just a quiet, romantic dinner...  
  
Lee and Amanda were sitting at a booth in the back of the restaurant. They were discussing the most recent case at the agency, as they were looking at their menus.  
  
"That's another reason that I brought you here," Lee said, looking up at her from the menu. "My weekend off of work is going to end Monday."  
  
"All good things come to an end," she replied, her eyes scanning the entree list.  
  
"Yeah..." he said, just as their waiter walked up to them.  
  
"There you are, ma'am," he said, placing a glass of tea in front of Amanda. "And here is your bottle of wine." He put a bottle of expensive wine on the table.  
  
"Excuse me, but we didn't order any wine," Lee told the waiter.  
  
"Oh, compliments of the man at the booth over in the corner," he answered. "Are you ready to order now?"  
  
"I think that we need a few more minutes," he told him. The waiter nodded, and walked away. The couple glanced over at the booth that he had told them about, which was empty. "Hmm..."  
  
"That was really kind of Mr. Steele," Amanda said, looking at the bottle.  
  
"What makes you think that he bought this wine?"  
  
"Well, who else would have?"  
  
"Yeah," he replied. He took another look at the bottle, and popped it open. "Wine?"  
  
"No thanks," she told him, as he poured himself a glass.  
  
He held the crystal flute as if he was about to propose a toast. Amanda did the same with her glass of tea. "To my beautiful wife, our baby, and our future," he said with a smile. They gently clinked their glasses together, and each took a sip. "Mmm. This wine is delicious. You're sure you don't want some?"  
  
"I'm sure," she replied, as their waiter returned to their table. They placed their orders, and several minutes later they were enjoying their food.  
  
At around eight forty-five, they had finished their dinner. "Do you want a dessert?" Lee asked, looking at the dessert list.  
  
"Let's see. They've certainly got enough choices," she said, her eyes scanning the long list of many scrumptious-sounding desserts. "You know how these cravings are. I think I want some ice cream. How about you?"  
  
"I don't think I want anything else. I'm feeling a little queasy," he replied.  
  
"Do you want to leave?"  
  
"No, no, I'll be fine. You just go ahead and order a dessert, take your time and enjoy it."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"I insist."  
  
"Well...if you insist, then I'll order dessert. But if you get to feeling worse, we'll leave," she told him, placing her glass of tea back onto the table.  
  
"Okay," he agreed. He motioned for the waiter, and she ordered some ice cream. At around nine o'clock, the couple left the restaurant and walked out to the limousine where Remington was waiting. They climbed into the back of the car, and he cranked up.  
  
"Did you two have a good time?" he asked them, taking a bite of a French fry. While he was waiting, he had driven down the street to Marvelous Marvin's for dinner. He hadn't been quite finished when they joined him in the limo.  
  
"We had a great time," Amanda replied.  
  
"Oh, that reminds me. Thanks for the wine. You didn't have to do that," Lee told him with a smile. "It was..."  
  
"Wine? What wine?" he asked, turning around to look at them when they had reached the stoplight.  
  
"You mean you didn't order us any wine?" she asked with a puzzled expression on her face.  
  
"No," he responded.  
  
"Well if you didn't order us any wine, then who did?" Lee wondered aloud, looking at his wife, also with a confused expression.  
  
After a few moments of silence, Remington simply smiled and said, "Probably Mildred or Miss Holt. Since I got to drive you, they might have wanted to do something for you also. Returning the favor since you're letting us stay at your home."  
  
"Yeah," Lee said, still unsure of his suggestion. "'Manda..."  
  
"What it is?" she questioned him. He was beginning to look a little pale. "Lee, you're turning pale. I think you're getting sick."  
  
"I think so too," Remington replied, turning back to look at them once they were stopped at another traffic light.  
  
"You don't feel like you have fever," she said, feeling of his face and forehead. "Are you still feeling queasy?"  
  
"It's getting worse," he told her, leaning his on her shoulder.  
  
"Might have had too much to drink," Remington said from the driver's seat. He continued to drive to their home, and Lee only got worse. They finally turned into the Stetsons' driveway, and Remington helped Amanda help Lee to the house. He could walk on his own, although he staggered and swayed. They eventually reached the front door, and rang the doorbell. Laura and Mildred rushed to the door and gasped at the sight in front of her. Mildred closed the door behind them, and Remington briefly explained that Lee had become queasy at the restaurant, and had become pale on the drive home.  
  
"Let's get you upstairs into bed," Amanda told him, helping him up the steps to their bedroom. She noticed that he was now very pale, and was having some difficulty breathing. As she pulled back the covers, he suddenly collapsed to the floor. "Miss Krebs! Mr. Steele! Miss Holt! Come up here, quickly!" His heart was still beating, and he was still breathing. Remington and Laura ran up the stairs and into the bedroom, followed by Mildred, who was not too far behind. "He fainted when I was helping him into bed. We need to get him to the hospital, and fast!"  
  
Fortunately, he woke up before they were able to leave the house. Amanda gave him some medicine, and she dabbed his face with a wet washcloth. While she was being his 'Florence Nightingale', Remington and Laura pulled her aside, asking Mildred to take over for a moment.  
  
"Do you have any idea what could have done this to him?" Remington questioned Amanda.  
  
"We each ate the same thing at the restaurant," she told them.  
  
"Could he have been allergic to anything that you ate?" Laura asked her, beginning to pace the floor.  
  
"As far as I know, he doesn't have any food allergies," she replied, wetting the washcloth once more.  
  
"The wine," Remington said. "You didn't taste any of the wine and you don't know who bought it for you."  
  
"You mean someone poisoned it?" Amanda questioned him.  
  
"Possibly."  
  
"What wine?" Laura asked them. They told her about the bottle of wine that they had received from the mystery person. "Then there's a very good chance that it was poisoned."  
  
"But why would anyone want to poison Lee?" she asked, then remembering their ordeal back in November. "The only person that would want to harm him is in jail."  
  
"It might not be the same person," Laura told her. "Mista Steele, may I speak to you for a moment?" He nodded, and she pulled him aside. "Let's not forget the clipped brake line. Do you think that someone is trying to kill him again?"  
  
"Now let's not jump to conclusions, Laura," he told her. "Although it does sound that way, doesn't it?"  
  
She nodded. "And if the wine is poisoned, then we may need his stomach pumped." He agreed, and they rejoined Amanda. "Amanda, since there is a very good possibility that the wine was poisoned, we'll need to have his stomach pumped."  
  
"You're right," she agreed. Then she wondered if she should suggest that they go to the agency. Remington, Mildred, and Laura didn't know that they were federal agents, so she'd have to explain. She didn't really want to do that. She decided to try something else. "I'll take him."  
  
"Alright. We'll just stay here and housesit," she responded, placing her hand on Amanda's shoulder in sympathy.  
  
They helped him into the Wagoner, and Remington and Laura went back inside the house to join Mildred. Amanda cranked up and drove them down the road. She wasn't exactly lying about where she was going. She was taking him to have his stomach pumped and to have the poison identified, but not at the hospital. She was headed towards the Agency. 


	7. At the agency...

At the agency...  
  
Amanda impatiently waited in Billy's office to hear the reply. Lee had immediately had his stomach pumped, and the contents were being thoroughly examined. Francine was doing her best to comfort her, while they waited.  
  
Finally, the door opened.  
  
"How is he?" Amanda asked the man at the door.  
  
"He's doing fine right now. He's sleeping," Dr. Andrew Webster replied. "However, we did come up with something. We were able to identify a certain poison in his stomach contents. It appears to be G-66, a newly developed drug. So new that we don't have the antidote. Fortunately, we did get all of the poison that we could out of his stomach."  
  
"All of the poison that you could?" Francine repeated questioningly.  
  
"I'm afraid so. You see, it was too late to get all of it. A small amount had already entered his bloodstream. He's lucky you brought him in at the time you did, Mrs. Stetson," he told Amanda.  
  
"What are the effects of this drug?" she inquired.  
  
"Memory loss. Hallucinations," he answered. "...and eventually death. But we should be able to have the antidote before then. And the effects of the drug should begin in about...two to three hours. We're already trying to get an antidote."  
  
Amanda was hesitant before asking her next question. "How long is it before death occurs?"  
  
"Anywhere from one to two weeks. Like I said, since only a small amount entered his bloodstream, the effects won't be as severe. That also gives him a longer survival time," he answered, looking her in the eye. "You can take him home whenever he wakes up. He needs plenty of rest, and just don't let him go anywhere alone."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure he'll like that," Francine remarked.  
  
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the lab," he informed them. He walked over to Amanda, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Remember, Mrs. Stetson. We're doing everything in our power to get an antidote. Just trust us."  
  
"Thank you," Amanda told him, as he turned and left. She then looked up at Francine.  
  
"Don't worry, Amanda," she said. "Just like Andrew said, we're trying to get an antidote. It's just a matter of time."  
  
"I know," she said, trying to believe the words that she had just heard. She then remembered how the poison had gotten into her husband's system in the first place. "The wine..." she thought aloud.  
  
"Wine?"  
  
"The wine must have been poisoned. We went out for dinner, and someone ordered us a bottle of wine. I didn't drink any, but Lee did. We figured that Mr. Steele had ordered it, but he hadn't..."  
  
"Wait, just hold it," she interrupted. "Mr. Steele?"  
  
"Yes, Remington Steele. He's staying with us while he's here in DC on a case," she explained.  
  
"Oh yes. I forgot about that. Well, if he didn't order the wine, then who did?"  
  
"That's what they're trying to find out now. Who would poison Lee's wine? *Our* wine, now that I remember."  
  
"I can run a scan on your past cases," she suggested. "Because there's not really any big case going on currently. Unless there's someone new out there that we don't know about. That could be a problem."  
  
"Yeah," she agreed, standing up from the sofa. She followed Francine out the door, and then went to check on Lee. Francine promised she'd tell notify her if she found any leads in her scan.  
  
After about half and hour, Amanda took Lee back to their house, where Remington, Laura, and Mildred were waiting. Mr. Steele had already gone to bed, as well as Mildred, but Laura couldn't sleep. She had stayed in the den looking at magazines and thinking about the past events.  
  
"You're back," Laura said, jumping from the couch in the den when the Stetsons walked into the house. She followed them up the stairs to their bedroom. She helped Amanda get Lee settled into bed, as much as he hated it.  
  
"I don't want to rest..." he said, attempting to get up from the bed.  
  
"You have to," his wife instructed him, forcing him to lie back down. "Doctor's orders."  
  
"I don't care what the doctor's orders are, I feel perfectly fine."  
  
"Well you didn't a while ago. And you're not perfectly fine. You need to get some rest," Laura told him, defending Amanda.  
  
"Besides, it's what...almost midnight?" Amanda inquired, glancing at the wall clock. "You should be resting anyway." He finally obeyed, and allowed her to make him comfortable. "Now you had better stay here." She kissed him lightly, and left the room, with Laura by her side.  
  
"What did you find out?"  
  
Amanda filled her in on the basic details, omitting anything that involved the agency. She told her that the effects of the drug should start in a couple of hours, and that they didn't know what to expect, all in all. They talked for a little while longer, and then Laura decided to go to bed. They said their goodnights, and Amanda made her way back to their bedroom. She had just reached the door when the phone rang. She raced to answer it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Amanda! I'm glad I got you. Listen. I finished that scan that you requested. There were only three possibilities, one of which was seen earlier this evening in Rome, another sighted three hours ago in East Berlin. And the other; Austin Smyth. He was let out of jail two weeks ago," Francine briefly explained.  
  
"Hmm... I'll be sure to talk to Mr. Steele about it. Being a detective, maybe he can help us," she yawned. "Thanks for your help, Francine. And are there any new developments on an antidote?"  
  
"Amanda, it's only been an hour," she answered. "When I find out anything, I'll let you know. Bye-bye."  
  
"Goodbye," she told her, and then placed the phone back on its hook. She placed her hand on her abdomen as she made her way back to the bedroom. It had been an long, tiring night, and she was extremely sleepy.  
  
*******  
  
Some time very early the next morning, Lee got up out of bed, and walked across the hallway to sleep. The drugs were beginning to take effect... 


	8. The first of many surprises...

Remington Steele yawned as he rolled over to view the digital alarm clock on the nightstand. 6:02 am. He glanced over at the window to see raindrops falling against the glass. He didn't quite feel like getting out of bed. Instead, he decided to re-arrange himself to get comfortable. When he did, he felt human flesh next to him. He looked under the covers to find Lee sleeping soundly. He jumped back at the surprising sight, sending him falling to the floor. He quickly got up, and ran into Laura's room.  
  
"Laura! Laura," he asked, searching the room for her. He then noticed the bathroom door closed, with the light on. "Laura?"  
  
"Mista Steele?" she answered, applying the last of her makeup. She opened the door to find him in his robe, his dark hair tousled, and a shocked expression on his face.  
  
"It's Mr. Stetson. He was in the bed with me," he explained. "I haven't the slightest idea as to how or when he got there."  
  
"Oh no. The drugs," she realized.  
  
"Drugs? What drugs?"  
  
She told him what Amanda had told her the previous night. "The drugs are probably starting to affect him," she suggested, flicking the bathroom light off. "Where's Amanda?"  
  
"She's still asleep."  
  
"No, I'm awake," she said from behind them. They turned to find her standing in the doorway, already dressed. She rubbed her forehead. "I wanted to speak to you about something. Why don't we go downstairs?" The three of them walked down the stairs and into the dining room. "Like I was telling Miss Holt last night..."  
  
"I already told him," Laura informed her.  
  
"So you know about the poison?" she asked him, as he nodded. "Well, when I realized that it was the wine that contained this poison, I also remembered that the wine was ordered for *us*. Whoever bought that wine intended for both of us to drink some. So someone tried to kill both of us."  
  
"Then there's the clipped brake line in the Corvette. Meaning that someone tried to harm Lee that way, but instead, someone else drove the car. So the killer tries again to kill Lee. He somehow finds out that you were going out for dinner, so he poisons an expensive bottle of wine and sends it to your table," Laura explained. "Do you have any idea who would want to kill Lee? Other than Smyth?"  
  
"Miss Holt, do you remember when I told you that we work for a documentary film company?" Amanda questioned her, as Laura nodded. "Well, IFF works for the government and..."  
  
"There's no need to explain, Mrs. Stetson," he politely interrupted her. "We already know about the Agency."  
  
"We do?" Laura asked.  
  
"You do?" Amanda inquired, shocked at his information. "How?"  
  
"I accidentally stumbled upon your husband's identification badge last night while you were gone," he informed. "I moved his jacket off of the couch, and when I did, it fell out onto the floor. Believe me, I think I would rather have not found it."  
  
"Wait a minute! Just hold it. What do you mean 'the Agency'?" Laura wanted to know, still without a clue as to what they were talking about.  
  
"We're federal agents," Amanda confessed with a sigh. "IFF is just our cover."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?"  
  
"Why do you think they didn't tell us?" he asked Laura.  
  
"I'm sorry. Why don't you just continue with you story?"  
  
"I thought I heard someone down here," Mildred said, now entering the room. "Morning, everyone."  
  
"We were just discussing last night," Laura informed her. "Now. Continue."  
  
"I guess I'll just have to tell you what *really* happened last night," she said. She went on to tell them exactly what had happened at the Agency. "And someone else that we work with offered to run a scan over our past cases to find a lead as to whom might have tried to kill us. The only possibility was Dr. Smyth. He was let out of jail a month ago."  
  
"So..." Laura began, as Mr. Steele interrupted.  
  
"The Killer," Remington said, deep in thought.  
  
"What about him?" Laura inquired, eager to hear his response.  
  
"1954, Charles Perry, Victoria Worth, MGM," he finished. "Perry's been arrested for a robbery, and while he's in jail, he begins to plan another robbery. After he's released, he attempts to rob a bank, but doesn't succeed in the attempt. He tries once more, but doesn't get all he wanted, so he tries again."  
  
"As I said earlier, Mr. Steele uses old movies to help solve cases," Laura told Amanda. "So you're saying that while Dr. Smyth was in jail, he planned to kill the Stetsons. When he was released, he clipped the brake line, but instead *you* drove the car, forcing him to try again. So he poisons the wine, and gets Lee, but he misses his other target."  
  
"Meaning that he may try again. Mrs. Stetson, I think it would be wise to stay with one of us at all times, in case he tries once more," he told her.  
  
"Yes, but I'm afraid you're forgetting one thing," Mildred spoke up.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Evidence."  
  
"Oh yes," Remington suddenly realized. At that time, they heard Lee running down the stairs. He suddenly ran into the kitchen, with a toy gun in his hand.  
  
"Bang! You're dead!" he yelled, as he pulled the plastic trigger.  
  
Remington muttered something under his breath, and then looked up at the thirty-eight year old man with a cowboy hat and a plastic pistol. "Nice hat," he said, not knowing anything else to say.  
  
"Thanks. My grandma gave it to me for my birthday last year," he answered proudly. He quickly bounced back up the stairs.  
  
"Don't worry, Amanda," Laura said, placing her arm around her. "This drug must go through phases or something. Right now, I guess he thinks he's...a little child."  
  
"I know. I just...I just don't think I can watch my husband..." she replied, her voice shaky. She cleared her throat. "We were talking about evidence."  
  
"Yes. I think that our first step would be for us to go to the restaurant to see what we can find out," Laura suggested. "Amanda, Mildred, why don't you come with me? I'm sure Mista Steele wouldn't mind staying here with Lee. And as we said earlier, it would be safer if you stayed with one of us at all times, since we don't know what's going to happen next."  
  
"Really, Lau..." Remington started.  
  
"Just watch him, and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble, or leave the house," she commanded Mr. Steele, who highly disagreed with their plan. "Entertain him with Gone With The Wind. We'll be back in a little while." She waved goodbye, and the three women left him there.  
  
***  
  
Amanda turned into the parking lot of L'Ornate, the restaurant at which they had eaten the night before. They got out of the Wagoner, and walked up to the door.  
  
"How are we gonna get inside?" Mildred asked. "They don't open until dinnertime."  
  
Laura looked inside to see a few workers scurrying about the place. "We've *got* to find a way inside."  
  
"What are we going to do?"Amanda questioned her.  
  
"I've got an idea. But we'll have to go back to your house to get ready," she told them, as they went back to the Jeep.  
  
"What's your idea?" Amanda wanted to know, as she cranked up the car. 


	9. Laura's idea...

"Back so soon?" Remington asked, as they walked back inside the den.  
  
"The restaurant was closed, and I had an idea how we could get inside. It required coming back by here," she explained.  
  
"Why didn't you think of this idea earlier?" he inquired, as she ignored him and headed up the stairs, followed by Amanda and Mildred. "Women," he muttered.  
  
*****  
  
"We can say that we're with the Department of Public Health, and we were sent to inspect the facility," Laura told them, as she searched through her clothes that she had brought along with her.  
  
"You can borrow something of mine," Amanda suggested. "Well, I mean my regular clothes. Not maternity, of course."  
  
"Thanks for the offer, but I think this will do just fine," she said, taking out a brown business skirt suit.  
  
"Laura, I can call you Laura, right? Won't it look a little awkward if a pregnant woman is 'sent to inspect the facility'?" she asked her. "You could go with Mr. Steele, and while you're distracting the people I could perhaps sneak away and get what we needed."  
  
"That's a great idea. Except for the fact that Mr. Steele is staying here with Lee," Laura reminded her, selecting a pair of matching high heels.  
  
"Mildred, would you mind staying here with Lee instead?" Amanda asked her.  
  
"No, of course not. I won't mind at all," she answered.  
  
"Thank you so much," she told her. "And I think that I might could get you a fake ID to get inside the restaurant."  
  
"Really? That'd be great. How?"  
  
"I'll get Francine on the phone and ask her to get two IDs for you. It...shouldn't be too hard," she said, as she walked out of the room. She dialed the Agency, and got Francine on the line. "Francine? Listen, I hate to ask a favor, but I really need you to do something for me."  
  
"Alright. What?"  
  
"Could you get two IDs for the Department of Public Health for me?"  
  
"Amanda, you know good and well that that is strictly..."  
  
"I know, I know. But please, just this once. I don't like to break rules either, but this... this...could end up being a matter of national security," Amanda said, trying her best to convince Francine.  
  
She heard Francine sigh, and then she finally answered, "Alright. I'll do it. But if Billy finds out..."  
  
"Thank you so much Francine," Amanda interrupted. "How fast can you get them?"  
  
"I'm working on it right now. Department of Public Health you say?"  
  
"Yes. Two environmentalists. Male and female IDs."  
  
"Since I'll be headed towards your way, I can just drop them off. Give me fifteen minutes."  
  
******  
  
"Thank you so much for doing this, Francine. I truly appreciate it," Amanda told her, when she had arrived.  
  
"No problem," she replied. "I still don't understand why you need them."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out, soon enough," Laura told her.  
  
"Well, I need to get going. Talk to you later," she said, turning to leave.  
  
"Okay. Thanks again," Amanda said, closing the front door behind her. "Here. Are you ready to go?"  
  
"I think so," Laura said, putting her Health Department identification on. "Now you know what to do, right?"  
  
"Yes. You distract them while I get a look at their reservation records for last night. If there's time, I'll also see if I get a security tape."  
  
"Right. And Mildred, you know to keep your eye on Lee, and not to let him get outside, by all means," Laura told her.  
  
"Yes ma'am. He's sort of settled down since I turned on 'Gone With The Wind'. He's acting much more mature," Mildred answered.  
  
"That's good to know. We'll be back later," Laura said. "Good luck."  
  
"You too," Mildred replied.  
  
Laura, Amanda, and Remington got into the Wagoner and drove back to L'Ornate.  
  
*****SMK*****RS*****SMK*****RS******SMK*************  
  
"Here's our identification. This won't take long, I assure you," Laura explained to the manager, in a somewhat nasal tone. "I assume that we'll find everything in order, but if not, the inspection will take longer."  
  
"Okay. Come on," he led the couple towards the kitchen. Once the door to the kitchen had closed, Amanda poked her head out of her hiding spot from behind the counter to make sure that the coast was clear. She made her way to the book containing reservations. She read the names for the night before. She saw nothing unusual, and searched through several other large books. She found one which contained orders from the previous evening. Then she found what she was looking for: John Smyth, who purchased a bottle of wine for Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stetson. Now she needed a security tape.  
  
*********  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Stetson home, Mildred and Lee were playing Clue, the board game.  
  
"I suggest Miss Scarlet, in the Kitchen, with the candlestick," Lee exclaimed, for the fifth time since they had started.  
  
Mildred sighed deeply. "Why don't we play a different game?"  
  
"I don't want to play any more games. Hang on a minute. I'm gonna go get something from my room," he jumped up and ran upstairs.  
  
She quietly followed him to make sure that he didn't escape. She walked back to the den, and waited for him to return. He came running back into the den, and sat down beside her. He was holding a copy of "Sky Chief Rides Again".  
  
"I want to read," he stated proudly.  
  
********  
  
"I think that we have found everything in order," Remington said, as they exited the kitchen. "Thank you for letting us carry on with our inspection. We'll be on our way now."  
  
"Yes," Laura told the man. The couple walked outside the door and waited for Amanda. They then spotted her in the Wagoner. They ran over to where she was. "I think that we were pretty convincing. What did you find?"  
  
"Well, I found that a bottle of wine for Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stetson was purchased last night by someone named John Smyth; spelled with a 'y'. I also was able to find a security tape, from last night," she informed them, before she cranked up the Jeep.  
  
"That's good news. Well, not *good* news, but..." Remington said.  
  
"We get the picture," Laura interrupted.  
  
*********  
  
"Forgive me for startling you with the impetuosity of my sentiments, my dear Ms. Krebs- but it can't have escaped your notice, that for some time past, the friendship I had felt for you has ripened into a deeper feeling, a feeling more beautiful, more pure, more sacred-dare I name it- can it be love?" Lee asked Mildred, kneeling down in front of her on his left knee.  
  
"Mr. Stetson, you're married!" she told him. "You're married to Amanda Stetson! I think you've had too much 'Gone With The Wind'. I think that you *have* gone with the wind."  
  
Just then, the door opened, and Laura, Amanda, and Remington walked in the room. "What on earth is going on here?" Laura exclaimed, when she saw Lee kneeling before Mildred.  
  
"He just proposed to me, Rhett Butler-Style," Mildred informed them nervously. "I think he's had too much 'Gone With The Wind'."  
  
"Better you than me," Remington remarked.  
  
"Howdy, pretty gal," Lee said, walking up to Amanda. "The name's Stetson. Lee Stetson. And who might you be?"  
  
"Lee, it's me! Amanda! Your wife!" she tried to explain.  
  
"Yeah. And I'm Princess Di," he said. "Now what's your real name?"  
  
"That reminds me..." Laura whispered, hinting at Remington.  
  
"I'm Amanda," she said. "I think you need a nap."  
  
"I think I don't."  
  
"I'm in charge here."  
  
"Not anymore."  
  
"Yeah," Mildred said, standing from her seat. "He's right. You're not in charge here any more. I am. Now, you, Cowboy, you get on up to the corral and lasso yourself to the bed for a nice, long nap." 


End file.
